


chasing down the silver linings

by quinnking



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Gen, fluff fluff fluff, mama may has feelings for the youngens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-26
Updated: 2015-07-26
Packaged: 2018-04-11 06:24:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4424849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quinnking/pseuds/quinnking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>melinda reflects on her friendships with the members of the team.</p>
            </blockquote>





	chasing down the silver linings

**Author's Note:**

> this is set in season 1 and season 2A, for the most part. :-)
> 
> also, listen to home II by dotan.

_screaming minds all around us, safe and sound like the rhythm of snow; all young dreams, where have you gone now?_

**_I_ **

Melinda supposes she'd always been a maternal figure, even when she didn't mean to be one. She realized this when she was assigned to be Maria Hill's S.O. 

Maria was a great learner and she did everything in stride, left Melinda impressed, even. But she'd actually grown to care for the woman, something Melinda wasn't sure she liked or not. Maria had become such an important part of her life that Melinda's mother even sent her birthday and Christmas gifts yearly. Sometimes the gifts were even better than what Melinda got. 

They'd talk (or, rather, Maria would talk and Melinda would grunt and listen), sometimes, after a sparring session. Even during, if Maria was cocky enough to lose focus.

Maria had moved up in the ranks of SHIELD, and Melinda couldn't be more proud. She somewhat felt like Maria's older sister, a confidant. Someone to set the young girl straight if her head got too big or if she got herself into something too deep. 

Melinda always valued Maria, even more after Phil died. At his funeral, the one that Audrey put together, Maria gently squeezed Melinda's hand. A reminder, that she wasn't the only one who lost Phil. And that she wasn't alone. 

They don't see each other as often now that Melinda's on Phil's team. Melinda doesn't have the energy or the stupidity to be mad at Maria for being there for her at Phil's funeral while knowing all along what Fury had in mind. Especially when Fury and Maria cornered her into joining Phil on the bus. To look after him. Part of her knew that it was likely Maria who put Melinda's name on the block. She should thank her for that, but she doesn't. 

Melinda had also been Natasha Romanoff's S.O. Not many people in SHIELD had the pleasure of gaining Natasha's friendship, but Melinda surprisingly had. Natasha adored Melinda's brazenness and her fighting technique. They hit it off right away.

And if Melinda was honest, she was one hell of a sparring partner. She was the one student of hers that actually gave her a challenge and she enjoyed it thoroughly. She was extremely agile and even made Melinda fall on her ass once or twice. That was unheard of, but also not public knowledge.

Now, Melinda likes pranks. But not when they're pulled  _on_ her. Which is precisely what Maria and Natasha do. Often. Even thinking about the pranks that they pull on her, so juvenile for the types of people they are (even her, who uses whipped cream as a source for hilarity, still), makes her lips quirk into a semblance of a smile. 

The last time she saw Romanoff, actually, was before Phil died. She sometimes goes through her phone, sees the  _Nat,_ and wishes she could text the woman and spar because God knows she needs to get her anger out somehow. 

She keeps tabs on Natasha, though. Especially after the Battle of New York. She'll watch the news, see where she's at. Sometimes, if she's ever got that rare feeling of nostalgia, she'll ask Fury how she's doing. He gives her all the answers she needs to know. That she's alive. Something heavy lifts off of her whenever she hears those words.

_**II** _

Melinda hears the door of the cockpit open, and she more than half expects it to be Phil. It's not. It snaps her out of her thoughts and she notices a bundle of dark hair sit in the passenger seat next to her. 

At first Skye doesn't say anything, she never does. She just comes and sits in with her, enjoys looking out the window. 

_(And Melinda will deny it if ever asked, but she actually enjoys Skye's presence)_.

Once they get settled in their new base, though, after they recreate SHIELD, Skye actually talks when she sits down next to her.

"Why didn't you ever have children?" 

Melinda doesn't show surprise, but she feels her knuckles whiten as she clenches her fists. "Why are you asking?" she says quietly. 

"Well, you were married, right?" Melinda doesn't even  _want_ to know how Skye got that information. She closes her eyes and listens. "Why didn't you ever have children? Was it before the...thing?" 

The thing. Bahrain. No, it wasn't because of Bahrain. She had plenty of time before that to have children with Andrew. But she didn't want to.

"The opportunity never arose."

Skye drums her fingers on her denim-clad knees and Melinda takes the time to look at her. Her hair is so much shorter than it was when they'd first met; her eyes are darker, something rabid in them. She wears black and grey now, mostly, and not the cute flannel shirts and dresses she used to wear back on the bus. She knows exactly how it feels, to have your innocence taken away and to grow up before you're ready.

"Did you ever want children?" 

Melinda doesn't answer at first. 

"I know that this job is shit when it comes to raising kids. I don't know anyone who does what you do who has a stable family life."

Melinda doesn't say it, but she disagrees. She feels like  _this_ is her family. Coulson, Skye, Jemma, Fitz, Bobbi. Hell, even Hunter if she's being honest. They're a team, and isn't that just another word for family? She shakes herself.

"You need to be one hundred percent there for children," Melinda says slowly, "I wasn't prepared to do that when I could have." 

With everything that has happened with their team, Melinda finds herself growing more and more fond of Skye, FitzSimmons and Bobbi. She catches herself, more than once, wondering if they're okay while on missions separate from her. And the issue is, she's not sure if it's her being a good team leader or if it's because she cares about these  _kids_ more than she realized. 

She also finds herself always impressed by Bobbi's dexterity and strength, Simmons' optimism and intelligence, Fitz's ability to fight, and Skye's generosity and the fact that she's a survivor. Each passing day gives her a new reason to respect them, and she tells Phil one night.  _  
_

"Look who's warming up," he jokes. 

She scowls at him. "When you spend so much time with people, you begin to care for them." She rolls her eyes. 

"Even Rogers and Stark probably hit it off and forget about wanting to hate the other sometimes," Phil tells her with a laugh. "That's what happens when you have a team full of strong people that are also vastly different."

She sighs. "They've been through so much, and they're so young..."

"Who does that sound like to you, Melinda?" 

"Don't analyze me," she snaps, half jokingly. "I know where the fondness stems from, but it doesn't mean I understand it."

He shakes his head. "You don't have to. Besides, who understands their family anyway?" 

She agrees with him on that one.

  


  



End file.
